Read Online Hell's Legionnaire by L. Ron Hubbard - Free Book Online

Montrey. “You are going to lead us to that place. And we are leaving at
dusk.”
    â€œAnd what if I
refuse?”
    Montrey glanced about
him. A coil of line was at one end of the murette . I knew then what he
intended to do. A band around the forehead, drawn tight as a tourniquet, is a
pain no man can stand.
    I decided that I could
only get out of this by smashing my way through. While his eyes were still on
the rope I suddenly grabbed Montrey’s wrist.
    With a howl he jumped
away, trying to bring up the seized gun. Ivan crouched lower over the machine
gun, unwilling to shoot Montrey.
    Montrey twisted about,
threw me off balance and jumped back. Ivan’s eye was tight against the
machine-gun sight. He pressed the trips.
    It was Ivan’s pride
that he was the best machine gunner in the Legion. I knew that his slugs would
hammer me to pulp in an instant.
    Suddenly Ivan ceased
to fire. I looked up, expecting to find myself dead. But Ivan sat beside the
gun, grinning foolishly and staring at the sights. He looked at Montrey and
shrugged, pointing to the sights.
    Montrey, half-crouched,
eyed the revolver which lay in the dust halfway between us.
    â€œI’m sorry,” said
Ivan, chuckling. “It’s the sights. They were set for six hundred yards. I fired
over the top of his head.”
    Like a huge ape, he
rocked back and forth. His mind was too flighty, too childish, to see any
further than the joke. He, Ivan, the best machine gunner in the Legion, had
failed to notice that his sights were set for six hundred yards when he was
firing at thirty feet.
    Montrey relaxed and
looked once more at the rope.
    I sighed.
    â€œOh, what the deuce ,
Montrey. We can’t stay here. Let’s try for Casablanca way to the northwest. If
we happen across the pipe dream of Copain’s, we’ll take along the loot. But
I’ll go on one condition.”
    â€œCondition?”
    â€œYes. That I am still
in command of my own squad and that my word is law. We go as a body of Legionnaires, not as a rabble. Remember, Montrey, I am the only one that can take you to that
place.”
    Montrey relaxed and
shrugged.
    â€œAll right, mon
corporal .”

CHAPTER THREE
    Berber Bullets
    I assembled my men after they had
finished the task of burying Copain. They looked at me with feverish eyes.
Montrey licked his thirst-swollen lips. Ivan Njivi fumbled with his hands.
Kraus, the German, Gian, the Italian, and Maurice, another Frenchman, made up the
remainder of the squad. We had buried the other two a few days before.
    â€œListen closely,” I
said. “After moonrise it will be too late to get away, but I suspect that the
Berbers will be waiting until they have light enough to make their attack. That
should come within the next hour.
    â€œWe will file along
this ridge, one at a time. Then we will drop down into a ravine. That point
will be our rendezvous. From there I will have to lead the way because we know
nothing of what lies beyond.”
    They nodded, nervously.
I knew that they did not fear the Berbers we might meet. They were overcome by
the thought that they might have enough money at the end of this trek to live
the rest of their lives in luxury. I knew that they would be hard to
handle—harder even than when drunk.
    There is nothing quite
as bad as gold madness.
    I divided the
Chauchats and ammunition among them. When they had finished their paquetage , Montrey spoke up.
    â€œI suppose, mon
corporal, that because of your rank, you do not find it necessary to carry
a load other than your own equipment.”
    â€œPardon, m’sieu , ”
I bowed, “but you have forgotten the dynamite and gunpowder that was left here
with us. It makes a heavier load than any of you are carrying.”
    â€œAnd what do you want
with that?”
    â€œIf only to keep it from
falling into Berber hands, I take it along.” With that, I dug the explosives
out of the hole in the cliff face and